A Deadly Affair by E.V. Hunter - Book Review - Blog Tour

Series: The Hopgood Hall Murder Mysteries #5

Publication Date: 18th August 2024

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/deadlyaffairsocial

Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205065114-a-deadly-affair

Genre: Contemporary Small Town Cozy Mystery

4 Stars

One Liner: A worthy continuation of the series

Book Blurb:

A local gossip is about to get her just desserts!

Life at Hopgood Hall is never boring, but Alexi Ellis hopes that there will be no more murders for the time being – she’s solved four already and is getting a reputation in the local area for being bad luck.

So when local gossip Polly Pearson arrives at Hopgood Hall, Alexi knows this can only mean bad news. Polly has made it clear that she dislikes Alexi, and has campaigned for her to leave Hopgood Hall forever – so what could Polly want?

Then Polly reveals that her partner, Gerry has been found murdered in her B&B and that she is the main suspect! Alexi, her partner Jack, and Cosmo the cat are all left speechless. More so when Polly begs Alexi for help improving her innocence.

But Alexi isn’t sure she wants to help this spiteful gossip. Is she really innocent or as deadly as the police believe her to be?

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My Thoughts:

The story comes in Alexi and Jack’s third-person POVs.

The fifth installment in the series should work as a standalone read. There are enough details to get an idea about the characters’ backgrounds. However, it will be more enjoyable for those familiar with the series.

While the book is a cozy mystery, the topics are darker this time (nothing graphic). Cosmo and Tuby bring enough humor to lighten the mood. Our large black cat is a darling unless you are on the wrong side. His hisses and growls are enough to scare most criminals!

The mystery starts out as a simple case of a scorned lover (maybe) but delves deeper and expands into a larger crime with many parties involved. I did guess the direction since hints were pointing at it.

The side characters are pretty much fixed in their roles so far. They are familiar and comforting. We know what to expect, and they don’t disappoint.

The way women make fools of themselves over Gerry would have been annoying if it weren’t realistically portrayed. Such things happen in real life and are not uncommon. The story presents a sneak peek into their thought process, insecurities, and yearning for affection.

I admit the final reveal wasn’t what I expected. I zeroed in on the other person. This does make sense in a way, a twisted sort of way that aligns with that character’s arc.

It seems that Alexi and Jack’s relationship is getting a lot of nazar (evil eye) from many people. The poor couple can’t seem to get rid of their exes, intent on getting them back. However, it is heartwarming to see them put up a united front and deal with it in no-nonsense terms.

There’s a lot of drama too given the nature of the plot and the characters. Some of it gets repetitive at places but it might be useful for first-time readers of this series to get a better idea of the dynamics in the relationships.

A bit of danger and some faithful animals that become heroes bring the story to a neat ending. Not everyone faces the consequences of their actions. I know we’ll see some of those characters again, and can’t wait for them to fall into the hole they dug for others.

To summarize, A Deadly Affair is a well-plotted cozy mystery and an enjoyable read. It has a steady pace and can be a standalone read.

Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley

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Author Bio – E. V. Hunter

E.V. Hunter has written a great many successful regency romances as Wendy Soliman and revenge thrillers as Evie Hunter. She is now redirecting her talents to produce cozy murder mysteries. For the past twenty years, she has lived the life of a nomad, roaming the world on interesting forms of transport, but has now settled back in the UK.

Follow the Author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wendy.soliman.author

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/Wendyswriter

Instagram: Wendy Soliman (@wendy_soliman)

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/EvieHunter 

Bookbub Profile: E.V. Hunter Books

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This has been a stop on the #ADeadlyAffair blog tour by Rachel's Random Resources. (@rararesources) Thanks for stopping by!